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SINGAPORE: Mr Terry Xu and the publisher of The Online Citizen (TOC) have been issued a correction direction under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA), over an article on the re-appointment of Singapore's Attorney-General Lucien Wong.
The Ministry of Law said on Monday (Mar 23) that the article, published on Mar 9 and posted on several platforms, contained false statements on Mr Wong's appointment.
Mr Xu, as well as Taiwan-based Miao Yi Infotech, which publishes TOC, are required to publish correction notices on TOC’s websites, Heidoh’s website, TOC’s Facebook and Instagram pages, and in The Straits Times.
"These notices will state that the content communicated false statements of fact, and provide a link to the government’s clarification," said the Ministry of Law.
The ministry took issue with three points of falsehoods in the Mar 9 article.
First, Mr Xu alleged that there was no information that Mr Wong had recused himself from acting on matters relating to the acquisition of 38 Oxley Road, the home of Singapore's first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew.
The attorney-general was the personal lawyer of the late Mr Lee's son, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Both Mr Wong and Mr Lee had recused themselves from matters relating to 38 Oxley Road when it became an issue of public debate several years ago.
"This includes the compulsory acquisition of 38 Oxley Road," the government said on its Factually website on Mar 23.
"Any statement or suggestion that AG Wong may have acted or is acting in conflict of interest in such matters is entirely without basis."
Mr Wong, 72, has been the attorney-general since 2017.
He was appointed for his fourth term from Jan 14, 2026, extending his tenure in the position until 2029.
Mr Xu alleged in his article that during a parliamentary debate earlier this month, Workers’ Party chair Sylvia Lim was not allowed to raise any follow-up questions on the attorney-general's re-appointment process.
The government noted that Law Minister Edwin Tong had, in fact, addressed Ms Lim's questions on Mar 2.
“After Minister Tong’s response, like five other MPs, Ms Lim was allowed to raise follow-up questions,” it added. “Ms Lim, in fact, asked two questions to which Minister Tong responded, as reflected in the public record.”
The government noted that Ms Lim or other MPs can still file parliamentary questions on the topic if they wish.
The government also said the suggestion that an attorney-general must retire at 60 is incorrect and false.
It noted that under the Constitution, an attorney-general may be appointed for a specific period, in which case, the age limit of 60 does not apply.
An attorney-general with a non-fixed term can also continue to hold office past the age of 60, if the president, acting in his own discretion, concurs with the advice of the prime minister.
The government noted that Mr Wong was re-appointed by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
Under the Constitution, it is the president, not the prime minister, who appoints or re-appoints the attorney-general.
Checks by CNA showed that TOC has added the correction notice to its article and the social media posts.
However, it added below the correction notice that it did not accept that the statements addressed by the government constitute false statements if "read in their proper context as analytical and opinion writing".
